Luminaires for stage lighting and for decorative displays are typically movable on a horizontal axis (X-axis) and a vertical axis (Y-axis) with the luminaire movable around each axis by separate tilt and pan motors, respectively. The motors are sent signals by an operator that originate in accordance with various types of hand control devices. For the typical type of control system an operator tactically operates one hand device with one hand to send one signal for X-axis movement of the luminaire and another hand device with the other hand to send another signal for Y-axis movement of the luminaire.
The type of control device that is most desirable, however, is one that can be operated with one hand about both the X-axis and the Y-axis simultaneously. Such a device can be compared to the joystick of an aircraft, the mouse control for a video screen, or the control ball of a video game device.
One type of luminaire that is movable about an X-axis and a Y-axis is described in my concurrent U.S. patent application entitled "Low-Inertial Beam Direction Lighting System" Ser. No. 926,632 filed 11/3/86.